Humidity-controlling apparatus.



E. T. MURPHY.

HUMIDITY CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. T. MURPHY.

HUMIDITY CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 17, 1909. 1,012,414. Patented De0.19,191 1.

3SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR E. T. MURPHY.

HUMIDITY CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1909 1,012,414, Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

NVENTOR a will presently EDWARD T. M UBP HY, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA HUMIDITY-CONTROLLING- APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed Kay 17, 1909. Serial No. 496,417.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, EDWARD T. MURPHY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Philadel hia, county of Philadelphia, andState 0 Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Humidity-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in humidity controlling apparatusof the type in which a controller is operated by the differential actionof two thermostats or thermostatic elements, and my invention consistsin utilizing the dili'erential action of two thermostats or thermostaticelements to vary'the fluid pressure upon opposite sides of a fluidpressure device, the operation of the fluid pressure device causing inturn the operation of the controller.

In carryingout my invention I preferably employ two separatethermostats, one arranged in the chamber, wherein the humidity is to beregulated, and the other arranged in the path of incoming saturated air.As a substitute for the latter I may employ a second thermostat directlyexposed to the air within the chamber ivhere- 1n the humidity is to beregulated, but in such case one of the thermostats would have to be ofthe dry bulb variety, and the other of the wet bulb variety. 1 V

The fluid pressure device may conveniently comprise two chambersseparated b a movable wall, 'fluid pressure being a mitted to thechambers upon opposite sides of the movable wall by the. action of thetwo thermostats, the said wall in its movement being arranged to controlthe flow of motive fluid to {and from a fluid pressure motor for thecontroller. The controller may be in the form of a valve for controllingthe admission of steam to the air for raising its temperature beforeadmitting it to the chamber, or other forms of controllers may beemployed, such as dampers, as

be explained. I

In order t at my invention may be fully understood, I will now proceedto describe an apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point outthe novel features in claims. 4 i

In the drawings: Fi re 1 is a diagrammatic view in sectiona elevation ofa huanidity controlling apparatus constituting an embodiment of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a view In vertical transverse section through .aform of fluid pressure device which may be employed. Fig. 3 is a faceview of the same, with a part of the casing broken away. Fig. 4 is adiagrammatic view of a modified form of the apparatus in which both thethermostats are located in the chamber wherein the humidity is to beregulated. Fig. 5 is a further modification showing the controller inthe form of fluid pressure motor operated dampers, in lieu of the fluidpressure motor operated steam valve shown in the other figures.

Referring first to the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 1, such anapparatus comprises in general a thermostat 5 disposed within a chamber6, the humidity of which is to be re ulated; a second thermostat 7 located in t e inlet tpipe 8 for the incoming currents of air; a uldpressure device 9; a blower 10 for introduclngthe currents of air; ahumidifying apparatus 11; a water supply 40 thereto; a pipe 12 foradmitting steam to the humidifying apparatus; and a fluid pressureoperated controllin valve 13 located in the said pi e 12. Thefiuid pres-, sure device 9, in the orm shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises acasing 14 inclosing two chambers 15 and 16 separated by a movable wall,by means of which valve mechanism may be operated. The movable wallinthe exam le of the fluid pressure device illus trate in detail inFigs. 2 and 3 comprises two diaphragms 17 and 18, the said diahragmsbein however, connected together in abutting re ation by means ofcertain intermediate links, levers, etc., for a purpose presently to beexplained. It is sufiicient for the present to remark that movementsof.one diaphragm are imparted to the other through the sald links,levers, etc., and that with the parts adjusted as they are shown in Fig.2 the movements of the two diaphragms will be synchronous and uniform inevery respect so that sofar as the elfect of their operation isconcerned a single diaphrafim might be employed instead of the two in.hragms shown. The valve mechanism w ich is operated by the movements ofthe said movable wall may be of any desired form and as a convenientform thereof I have shown an inlet valve 22 for contween thedistributing pipe 21 and an exhaust or discharge pipe 23. The seat 21for the valve 22 is located in a portion of the casing 1 1, while theseat 25 for the exhaust valve 19 is located in a head 26 which isconnected with the diaphragm 18. Diaphragms 27 between the head 26 andthe easing 14 prevent the escape of fluid under pressure, from thechamber 16 into the dis tributing pipe 21. The inlet valve 22 is pressedtoward its seat by means of a spring 28, while a light spring 29 tendsto move the exhaust valve 19 away from its seat 25. The stem of thevalve 22 engages the rear of the valve 19 so that the spring 28, inclosing the valve 22, tends to force the valve 19 to its seat and tooppose movement of the diaphragm 17 in one direction; movement of thediaphragm in the other direction is opposed by means of a spring 30, thetension of the said spring 30 being adjustable by means of an adjustingscrew 31. An indicator hand 32 is secured to the adjusting screw 31which, in its registration with a dial 33, will indicate the adjustmentimparted to the spring 30. The chambers 15 and 16 are connected with thethermostats 7 and 5 respectively by means of pip s 35 and 34, .while thedistributing pipe 21 conmeets with the operating chamber of the fluidpressure operated valve 13. Motive fluid is supplied to the thermostats5 and 7 by means 0 a supply pipe 36, the said supply pipe having abranch 37 which leads to the thermostat 5, and another branch 38 whichleads to the thermostat 7, a third branch being the pipe 20 aforesaid.The thermostats 5 and 7 may be of any desired form, such as may bereadily procured upon the market to-day, the said thermostats beingdesigned to admit a quantity of motive fluid from the respectivebranches 37 and 38 to the respective pipes 34 and 35 leading to thechambers 16 and 15 proportionate to the temperatures to which they aresubjected, that is to say,a proportionately increasing amount as thetemperatures rise.

The action of the apparatus so far described is as follows: Selecting asthe degreeof relative humidity which it is desired to maintain in thechamber 6, and assumin that dry saturated air (that is to say, air at100% humidity but carrying no free water) is being admitted along thepipe 8,and reference to the psychrometric ta les showing that thedifference between the dry bulb temperature of air at 70% relativehumidity and the temperature of fully saturated air (1007 relativehumidity) having the same absolute humidity, that is to say, containingthe same weight of water vapor per cubic foot, is approximately 11Fahrenheit, the latter being the lower the adjusting screw 31 will be soadjusted as to compensate for such 11 dlfl'erence in temperature, thatis to say, it will be so adjusted that the movable wall of the fluidpressure device will be substantially in balance when the thermostat 5is subjected to a temperature 11 higher than the tei'uperature to whichthe thermostat 7 is subjected. When the difference between these twotemperatures is less than 11 the pressure in the chamber 15 willpredominate, the valve 1?: will be closed, the valve 22 will be opened,and motive fluid will be admitted from the pipe 20 to the pipe 21 to thefluid pressure motor of the steam valve 13, to close the steam valvewhereby to reduce the temperature of the incoming air, while if thedifference in temperature becomes greater than 11 the fluid pressurewill predominate in the chamber 16, the inlet valve 22 will be closed,the exhaust valve 19 opened, and motive fluid will be discharged fromthe fluid pressure motor of the steam valve 13 to thereby permit thevalve to open under s ring pressure, whereby to admit steam for t epurpose of raising the temperature of the incoming air.

Bearing in mind thatbecause the incoming air through the pipe 8 is fullysaturated, the anzount of moisture delivered to the chamber 6 will beentirely dependent upon the heat at which the air is delivered (seepsychrometric tables), and that in accordance with the foregoing theapparatus will be so cont-rolled as to admit a greater quantity ofmoisture as the difference in temperature surrounding the thermostats 5and 7 is greater than 11, and a proportionately less quantity ofmoisture as the temperature difference around the said thermostats isless than 11", it will follow that the amount of moisture in the chamber(3 will be thereby uniformly maintained at the desired relative degreeof humidity. If the temperature in the chamber should rise from anycause it would, of course, become necessary to adniit a greater quantityof moisture because, while the absolute humidity in the room (1'. e., enumber of grains of water per cubic foot,), remains the same fordifferent temperatures, the relative humidity varies, so that should thetemperature of the room rise the tendency of the relative humidity wouldbe to fall. but as thereby the rise of temperature in the chamber 6would increase the difference in the temperatures surrounding thethermostats 5 and 7, the controller'13 would be opened to admit moresteam so as to raise the temperature of the ineon ing air, whereby toadmit a larger quantity of moisture.

To maintain the incoming air in a dry though saturated condition, I mayemploy the usual eliminator plates 39 by menus of which free water isentrapped and prevented from entering the chamber with the currents ofair through the pipe 8. By

this means the amount of moisture admitted is made absolutely dependentupon the telnperature of the ad itted air, as is desirable.

So far I have described this apparatus as employing a thermostat in thepath of the incoming currents of saturated air whereby the thermostat isoperated by air at 100% humidity, '1'. 0., at the dew point as it iscommonly called, but it will be readily seen that I may, if preferred,move this theriostat into the chamber 6, and l have shown the thermostatas so located in Fig. 4 and have designated the thermostat in thisfigure by the reference character 41. in such case the thermostat 41must be of the wet bulb variety, (that is to say, the thermostaticelement thereof must be kept wet, just as is the wet bulb of apsychrometer,) as distinguished flUlll the thermostat 5 which will be ofthe dry bulb variety, (the thermostatic element or elements thereofbeing in a dry condition). In this arrangement the two therinrstats willoperate ditlerentially by reason of the difl'erenee between the wet anddry bulb temperatures in the chamber (5, the wet and dry bull)temperatures differing under the laws shown by the. psyehrometrir tablesand as may be determined by the readings of an ordinary wet and dry bulbpsyehrometer. It will, of course, in such event. be necessary to make afurther adjustment for the various relative humidities desired, becausewhile the difference between the dry bulb and dew point temperatures issubstantially constant throughout the various ranges of temperature forany predetermined percentage of hu 2 idity. the. difference between wetand dry bulb readings at diiierent temperatures varies, and it is forthis purpose that I have provided the various links, levers. etc, inthevfluid pressure device between the diaphragm elements 17 and 1B ofthe movable wall. Theseelements comprise levers 42 and 43, the saidlever '42 being pivoted at 44 to the casing of the instrmuent and havingits rear face, near the outer end thereof, in engagement with the knifeedge of a projection 45 carried by the diaphragm 17, while the lever43-is pivoted at 46 lo the instrument upon the other side thereof, thefree end of the said lever being: in engagement with the knife edge of aprojection 47 carried by the diaphragm 1 Slides 4S and 49 are carried bthe said levers 42 and 43, being pivotally connected together and alsoto a link 50 by means of a pivot pin 51, the said link bein connected atits other end to an adjustalfie slide 52. The said slide 52 is threadedupon an adjusting stud 53, the said adjusting stud having convenientlyri ht and left handed threads, one of whic coacts with the said slide,and the other of which is fitted to a portion of the casing. A- dial 54and an indicator 55 may be employed to indicate the position of theparts. The instrument, as shown in Fig. .2, is adjusted with the slides48 and 4t) in line with the projections 45 and 47 whereby movements iparted to one or other of the diaphragms will be transmitted uniformlyand synchronously to the other diaphragm, as is stated above, but i bymanipulating the adjusting stud 53 the slides may be moved upward sothat a move ment imparted to the diaphragm 17 will result in aproportionately less movement to the diaphragm 18, and the pressure inthe chamber 15 will be proportionately more efl'ective than will thepressure in the cha 1,- ber 16. This will effect the desiredcompensation in a simple and effective manner, and where this instrumentis employed with wet and dry bulb thermostats. as in the example of myinvention shown in Fig. 4, the stud :53 must be manipulated to producethe desired adjustment in accordance with the relative humidity requiredto be maintained in the chamber 6.

It will, of course, be understood that I may vary the amount of moistureadmitted in other ways besides opening and closing steam valves, and inFig. 5 I have shown a modified form of apparatus in which dampers 56 and57 are operated by a fluid pressure motor 58 which is connected with thepipe 21, In this instance the damper 57 controls the supply of fresh airto the'humidifying apparatus, while the damper 56 controls the supply ofreturn air from the chamher 6. Siich a control may be used either withor without the control shown in the other figures, as will be wellunderstood.

The term controller and controlling valve as employed in thespecification is of course used in abroad sense, and is intended toinclude dampers and the like, dampers in any event being merely one formof valve.

What I claim is:

1. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a difierentially operatedfluid pressure device including a movable wall, differentially operatedthermostatic mechanism for controlling the fluid pressure upon theopposite sides of the said movable wall, and a controller governed inits operation by movements of the said movable wall.

2. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a difl'erentially operatedfluid pressure device including a movable wall, differentially operatedthermostatic mechanism for controlling the fluid pressure upon theopposite sides of the said movable wall, and a fluid pressure operatedmotor governed in its operation by movements of the said movable wall.

3. Humidity controllin prising a fluid ressure evice including a movablewall, ifierentially oierated thermostatic mechanism for controlling thefluid apparatus compressure upon opposite sides of the said movablewall, a controller, and a fluid pressure operated motor governed in itsoperation by movements of the said movable wall.

4. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a fluid pressure deviceincluding a movable wall, differentially operated thermostatic mechanismfor controlling the fluid pressure upon the opposite sides of the saidmovable wall, and a controller governed in its operation by themovements of the said movable wall.

5. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a fluid pressure deviceincluding a movable wall, difi'erentially operated thermostaticmechanism for controlling the fluid pressure upon the said movable Wall,a controller, and a fluid pressure operated motor therefor, the saidfluid pressure operated motor being governed in its operation bymovements of the said movable wall.

6. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a fluid pressure deviceincluding a movable wall and valve mechanism operated thereby.differentially operated thermostatic mechanism for controlling the fluidpressure upon the said movable wall, and a fluidpressure operatedcontrolling valve gorerned in its operation by the said valve mechanismof the fluid pressure device.

7. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising two separate andindependent thermostats, a fluid pressure device having a movable wall.one side of which is exposed to fluid pressure controlled by one of thethermostats and the other side of which is exposed to fluid pressurecontrolled by the other said thermostat, and valve mechanism controlledin its operation by the movements of the said movable wall.

8. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising two separate andindependent thermostats, a fluid pressure supply for each of thethermostats, independent pressure lines controlled thereby, and valvemechanism controlled by the relative pressure in the said pressurelines.

9. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising a differentially operatedfluid pressure device, adjusting means for increasing the mechanicalpressure upon one side thereof, differentially operated thermosticmechanism for controlling the differential fluid pressures upon thefluid pressure device, and a controller governed in its operation by theoperation of the differential pressure device.

10. Humidity controlling apparatus comprisin a differentially operatedfluid pressure evicc including a movable wall, adjusting means forapplying a predetermined pressure against one side of the said wall,differentially operated thermostatic mechanism for controlling the fluidpressure upon both sides of the said movable wall, and a controllergoverned in its operation by movements of the said movable wall.

11. Humidity controlling apparatus com prising a differentially operatedfluid pressure device including a movable wall, a spring bearing againstone side of the said mova le Wall, and means for adjusting the tensionof the said spring, differentially operated thermostatic mechanism forcontrolling the fluid pressure upon both sides of the said movable wall,and a controller governed in its operation by movements of the saidmovable wall.

12. Humidity controlling apparatus com prising a differentially operatedfluid pressure device including two diaphragms which together constitutea movable wall. intermediate mechanism connecting the said diaphragmstogether, and means for adjusting the same to cause the movement of oneof the diaphragms to vary in ex tent with respect to the movement of theother said diaphragm, differentially operated thermostatic mechanism forcontrol ling the difi'erential fluid pressure upon either side of thesaid movable wall in the fluid pressure device, and a controller governcd in its operation by the movement of the said movable wall.

13. Humidity controlling apparatus com .i

prising a differentially operated fluid pres sure device including twodiaphragms constituting a movable wall, intermediate mechanism betweenthe two said walls (onnecting them together, said means lllflllltv ing alever, means for varying the leverage exerted thereby whereby to varythe proportion of movement between the two said diaphragms,differentially operated thermostatic mechanism for controlling the fluidpressure upon opposite sides of the said movable wall, and a controllergoverned in its operation by movements of the said movable wall.

14. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising two separate andindependent thermostats, independent fluid pressure lilies controlledthereby, and a humidity con trolling device controlled by the relativepressure in said pressure lines, substantially as set forth.

15. Humidity controlling apparatus comprising two separate andindependent thermostats, independent fluid pressure lines controlledthereby, and a humidity controlling device upon which the fluidpressures in said independent pressure lines act differentially,substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of means for regulating humidity, a controllingdevice therefor, means whereby said controlling device is acted upondifferentially by independent fluid pressures, and separate thermostatswhich independently control said fluid pressures, substantially as setforth.

17. The combination of a fluid-pressureoperated humidity controllingdevlce upon which independent fluid pressures act differentially, andseparate thermostats which are influenced by difl'erent temperatures andindependently control said fluid pressures, substantially as set forth.

18. In an apparatus for controlling the humidity in an inclosure, thecombination of -a fluid-pressure-operated device u on which independentfluld pressures act di erentially for controlling the humidity of airsupplied to an inclosure, a thermostat influenced by the temperature insaid inclosure and controlling one of said fluid pressures, and anindependent thermostat influenced by the temperature of the humidifiedair supplied to the inclosure and controlling the other of said fluidpressures,

substantially as set forth.

EDWARD T. MURPHY. Witnesses:

D. HOWARD HAYWOOD, LYMAN S. ANDREWS, Jr.

